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The Santa Barbara News-Press chose May Day, ironically enough, to lay off 10 employees, that number confirmed late Thursday afternoon by Barry Cappello, attorney for the paper’s parent company, Ampersand Publishing. Those who were laid off included Barry Punzal, the sports editor, a 25-year veteran; and Robert Klinger, an image technician who had been there even longer, said Punzal. “I didn’t even see it coming,” said Punzal. “They just ripped out my heart is what they did, because I gave my heart and soul to that place… . They should have just put a gun to my head.”

Punzal was handed a packet that did not include severance pay; just his final check, documentation for state unemployment compensation, and an application for Cobra, the temporary medical insurance option for those who have lost their jobs and therefore their group insurance.

Cappello said that the layoffs were necessary because “the economic times are such that a reorganization of the paper is required. Revenues are off due in large part to national trends,” he said, namely declining newspaper readership; and because “the Teamsters engaged us in massive litigation.” (The Teamsters are the union that employees elected as their bargaining unit, though its negotiations with management—interrupted by a lengthy legal proceedings from which the Teamsters emerged victorious-have yet to result in a contract.) More than 80 employees have walked out or been fired since July 2006, when tension between the publisher and the paper’s staff precipitated the daily’s current troubles. Although the paper has also initiated its share of expensive legal battles in the wake of the daily’s dramatic meltdown, Cappello said that the paper is “defending the right of ownership to control the content of its newspaper.”

The fact that Santa Barbarans are canceling their subscriptions, due to what Cappello characterized as an economic boycott instigated by the Teamsters, was also a factor, said Cappello. According to a report on Craig Smith’s Blog, the paper’s circulation for the three month period ending March 31 was 35,061 for its weekday issues, down from 37,730 a year earlier, a loss of about seven percent, and Sunday circulation was also down seven percent. During the same period, according to Smith, circulation for the Ventura County Star and the Santa Maria Times either rose or held steady.

Cappello said that he could not give the names of the laid off employees because he didn’t know if they had all been notified yet; and that he did not know how the decision was made about whom to lay off. When he was a sports writer Punzal was a union supporter who, alongside with his editorial colleagues, wore tape over his mouth to protest management policies. He was elevated to the position of sports editor shortly after Gerry Sprat, who had previously occupied that position, resigned in protest. Punzal said that he and his team, including two former interns whom he trained and urged the paper to hire, formed a self-contained “paper within a paper” and that he was especially shocked to be let go because they were highly productive. Punzal was making about $65,000 a year and he estimated that the new hires—temps, like other employees hired in 2007 and 2008—are paid less than half that amount.

Besides Punzal and Klinger, those confirmed to have been laid off are features editor Mindy Spar, Mimi Mork from the circulation department, Elena Villanueva from retail advertising, and Tomasa Moran from accounting.

It is the first time since the troubles began in ‘06 that employees have been laid off en masse; all of the rest have been fired or walked out.

Firing the sports and life editors is beyond stupid. Barry, in particular, worked like a dog to keep that section alive and relevant. Sports, in fact, was the best thing about the pathetic News-Press. Way to reward dedication to craft, Wendy.

I've also heard from reliable sources that no replacement is planned for Barry. Stupid, stupid, stupid. If you thought the N-P was a thin and weak, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Wendy only had to sit down and bargain in good faith with the selected representatives of her employees, 'way back in July, 2006, and hammer out a deal, and all of the trauma could have been avoided, and she knew that. Wendy incited the rancor, she is responsible for the illegal firings and the upheaval that preceded and followed them. Whatphotosb, doesn't Wendy take responsibility for anything? She says it's her paper, she's said it's improving (not true, but whatevah), she's been belligerent, harsh, hypocritical and spends millions (probably literally) on her lawyers and now screams poverty? Get real.

Cappello said that the layoffs were necessary because "the economic times are such that a reorganization of the paper is required. Revenues are off due in large part to national trends, he said, namely declining newspaper readership; and because "the Teamsters engaged us in massive litigation."

Is he saying that Wendy Mccaw's personal finances have been affected to the point where she is unable to pay long-term employees' salaries? If this is the case, it would be interesting to see what her current bank account is. Also, to what does he owe the declining readership? It's interesting that he does not address that.

Hmm...retaliation against the little people for daring to stand up for journalistic integrity...way to go, Queen Gwendolyn & Prince Consort Arthur Von Wendyburger!

These bozos are nothing if not consistent in their high-handed ways. Blaming the Teamsters and the employees is like an abuser blaming the victim: "You MADE me beat you to within an inch of your life! If you'd only....., I wouldn't have been FORCED to knock all your teeth out. See what you made me doooooo??"

Newsflash: this is not new behavior. Wendy is an abuser of her fellow human beings.

Wendy...the reason your fishwrap is tanking is because A: it sucks and B: your treatment of your employees sickens people of conscience, and we've cancelled our subsciptions.

So..you go on and "control the content" of that rag you call a newspaper, and I'll keep reading the Valley Journal, LA Times, Independent, etc.

I have sympathy, but not an unlimited amount of it, for someone who "didn't even see it coming." Really? It's a shame that anyone would feel immune from a crazy person's hatchet job just for doing a good job and being productive, but after *everything* that's happened in the past few years, to not have a Plan B up one's sleeve is, sadly, just naive.

I have reason to believe that others who were further down the totem pole probably knew this day was coming at some point, and may even be happy to be out of that torture chamber on the plaza.

What I find most galling about this most recent round of firings is the decision to axe people like Punzal or Klinger, who have been working at the N-P for many more years than The Wendy has owned it.

These are people who (presumably) know their job well, show up every day, and do as they are told (they likely wouldn't have lasted 25 or 28 years if they didn't, right?). And so just about the time they begin to contemplate retirement, "WHACK!" They get the axe. They are told the decision is strictly financial and not because of something they did or did not do. And after twenty-odd years of dedicated service, there's not a damn thing they can do about it.

"You're making this too personal," the grim reaper, Apodaca, tells one of the men. Yeah, right. This is exactly the sort of despicable treatment that prompts employees to seek union representation. I've seen the same thing happen to friends of mine, and it made a believer out of me.

When the first round of firings came, two of the people (as I recall offhand--more may come to mind--) were long-term employees who had worked there since the 1960's. The two to whom I refer are Ed Romero and Tony Wilson who worked in composing.

I don't know what differences there were in the firing of them (and many others) as opposed to this latest round of dismissels but based on what has been going on since long before the the June 2006 meltdown none of this should surprise anyone.

For those who are not up to speed on what I mean about the "first round of firings" I'm referring to what happened right after Wendy McCaw assumed ownership.

The night she assumed ownership Allan Parsons was fired, and I think it was about 3 to 6 months later that the firings to which I refer started so by the end of 2001 it was clear nobody was safe.

To quote Allegro805 "I have reason to believe that others who were further down the totem pole probably knew this day was coming at some point, and may even be happy to be out of that torture chamber on the plaza." Allegro is correct: I was one of those who left voluntarily because it was obvious years before 2006 that the life had been sucked out of that place.

As for supporters of the idea that McCaw can do as she pleases: Perhaps in the legal sense she can. When you have lots of $$$ you can usually afford to disregard the humanity of others. On the other hand, if I'm driving through the desert on a hot summer day and see someone laying by the roadside dying of thirst I can drive right past that person and laugh at them while I drive away...that is my LEGAL right, but does that make it MORALLY right?

Normal companies offer buyout packages to pare staff. Some compassionate employers even tighten their own belts first (maybe dock the yacht?). The shoot 'em in the parking lot thing went out with the 60's. The money saved in aggregate salaries of the good people run off is surely more than the circulation losses. More delusional spin from the new Queen of Mean--Surprise! 10 more reasons to cancel the N-P.

Actually, the so-called shoot-em-in-the-parking-lot thing is alive and well. Anyone who came through the 80's and 90's not understanding that companies (for the most part) have no loyalty to their employees missed one of the great economic lessons of the 20th century. It was true in the 60's, true in the 80's, and still true today.

I still hafta believe that if one owns a business then if one's employees are encouraging one's customers not to buy the business' product, then the employer is more than justified in terminating the employees in question without warning and without severance.

And ya gotta get a kick out of Punzal's comment that he doesn't work for Wendy, he works for the citizens of Santa Barbara. Well, in a sense every employee in every organization works for the end customer. But with all due respect, get a clue. Who signs your paycheck ( or used to)?

Barry Punzal, although he is my ex-husband, he is a man I've admired for over 30 years for his loyalty, work ethic and professionalism.

As an HR consultant, I'm horrified at the actions of the ever wicked Wendy. To terminate someone because they are older, near retirement and in retaliation for their support of the union, is unethical, immoral and illegal.

Please, citizens of Santa Barbara, raise your voices and cancel your subscription to the newspaper immediately. Picket the News-Press and picket Oprah's house and get her interested in this horrible injustice.

I wish I lived in California because I'd be picketing the News-Press today.

Please don't let this die. This man served your community and your athletes faithfully for 25 years. Support him now.Katie

This is a truly shocking story. I had no idea that many people still worked at the NP.

I thought only one reporter was left, that ever-ubiquitous reporter named, Wire Service.

Seriously, the pink slips went to the wrong people. To increase productivity and profitability, the pink slips should have gone to Armstrong, Steepleton, Cappello, von Hamburgler and Wendy. Yes, the best way to maximize her own investment would be for Wendy to fire herself and allow an SB angel to finally buy and resuscitate our newspaper. Even Storke Tower weeps for this paper...

The time of inaction is coming to an end. For too long the public in this country has smiled politely and looked the other way while criminals like Bush, Cheney, Rove, Wolfowitz and their ilk have stolen elections, robbed the taxpayer and committed egregious acts against their fellow Americans and humanity, all while lining their pockets and those of their friends. Might I suggest that Wendy McCaw and Arthur Wisenburger (the 'Von' was bought so shouldn't be used) represent a microcosm of the rot that has infected the nation? If this is the case, then are we not compelled to do something about it?

Sure, America has almost always been about greed, self-interest, shortsightedness and the almighty dollar -- sometimes to good effect, other times to very bad ends. However, without question things have come to a point few could have imagined even a decade ago. Special interests, wealthy miscreants and corrupted politicians now rule the land with impunity. Take a stand I say! Stop subscribing to the News-Press, do not insert quarters into their vending machines, tell their (few remaining) advertisers that you do not approve of their support of this ridiculously shoddy newspaper. The goal should be to completely cut off income to the news-Press and ensure that not a single copy is picked up and read - ever again.

As residents of Santa Barbara, Goleta and environs we deserve better. We should not be forced to watch the lives of our fellow citizens be disrupted purely at the whim of a business owner without conscience. We should not be subjected to a news outlet so amateurish that it does not even serve its most basic purpose and in fact is painful to read. We should not be made silent accomplices to the absolute destruction of an institution that has been a central part of our community for over a hundred years. But most of all, we should not continue to allow this to happen.

Surely there must be concrete actions that can be taken to end this pointless charade of an odd couple pretending to be informed, intelligent publishers and dignified members of our community. They are neither. They are despicable.

Great idea. If no one buys the NewsPress it will have no revenue, Wendy will fire everyone, and SB will have the Daily Sound as its newspaper - maybe not a bad thing. But then maybe someone will buy the NP and restart it as a real newspaper with real, balanced, unbiassed reporting in the news sections and opinions limited to the OpEd pages. One way to find out - but then no more complaining about firings.

But if the NewsPress goes away the Daily Sound WILL be SB's daily paper. It's the only other paper in SB that's daily. Whether it SHOULD be SB's daily paper is another question - and my point. Maybe running the NP out of business isn't such a great idea??

Has anyone considered chatting up one of the SB local billionaires, and attempting to start a new paper? Then, maybe the former and remaining N-P workers could shift over, and let the old paper fade away.

BTW, billclausen (hi, bill) said: "On the other hand, if I'm driving through the desert on a hot summer day and see someone laying by the roadside dying of thirst I can drive right past that person and laugh at them while I drive away...that is my LEGAL right, but does that make it MORALLY right?"

Be aware of the Good Samaritan laws for your state, and be safe out there. [http://firstaid.about.com/od/medicallegal/a/07_no_good_sam.htm]

Folks, the tenets of modern journalism are principles based on long standing practices that have been in place for many decades. They aren't subjective ideas plucked out of thin air by blow hards arguing over beer in a saloon or bloggers venting their political biases on a website.

As hard as it may be for some to grasp, owning and publishing a newspaper is different than running a muffler shop, a grocery store or house painting business.

Consider the following suggested ideals deemed worthy of consideration by the Committee of Concerned Journalists. Which of them are sadly absent from Ms. McCaw's little News-Press operation?

1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth2. Its first loyalty is to citizens3. Its essence is a discipline of verification4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise7. It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant.8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional9. Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience

If McCaw's lawyers thought they had a prayer of even bothering the Teamsters with a lawsuit about "conspiring" to harm the News-Press, they would have already brought it. But the reality is that such a lawsuit would be frivolous, unfounded, and probably itself an unfair labor practice, which would end up with Wendy paying her adversaries' legal fees as well as her own -- and mark my words, she's going to be doing that in some of her other cases soon enough. She has filed ULP charges against the Teamsters that went nowhere, and she's still got her editorial pages from which to rant, but she wouldn't improve her litigation track record with such a lawsuit.

Ad Director Steve Nakutin was fired today. His replacement was being introduced upstairs while he was still in his car getting ready to leave. His employees didn't even know he'd been axed when the Grim Reaper introduced the new head.